Being a Student Again

When I accepted the job at my school two years ago, the first question they asked was, “Would you be willing to go back to school and get your certification?” I calmly answered “yes” but on the inside I was absolutely beside myself with anxiety. I remembered what school was like for me, and repeating that experience was not something I was looking forward to. Let me introduce you to young Taylor, the student. Her priorities, in order were: boys, friends, boys, extra-curricular activities, part-time job, boys, and making good grades. If you ask any of her past teachers how she was as a student, most of them would tell you she came to school to focus on her social life first, and her academic life second. I was never a discipline problem (except for breaking dress code), I made good grades (except for Chemistry Honors), and I was a pretty likable person. My biggest problem was memorization and test taking. I could finish worksheets, classwork, homework, and projects just as well, if not better, than any other student, but the second I had to sit down and take a test, I lost everything I had learned. When I was preparing for NTI I was so nervous that I was going to do poorly. I kept saying, “I am not smart enough for this”. I was afraid that because I struggled with some aspects of learning, I would have a really hard time teaching children. I also knew that I focused too much on everything but class, and I would face the same obstacles as college. I made a promise to myself when I started taking the class, and that promise was to do things the right way from the beginning. I was going to focus on my grades first, and all the extra stuff second. I learned that I am not a bad student at all, and when I put my mind to something, I can really excel at it. I learned how antsy I can get when sitting in a desk, and how much I crave hands-on projects, so I try to model my class after what I would want as a student. If I knew then, at my interview, what I know now, I would shoo away that anxiety and prepare myself for an amazing experience at NTI where I met some great friends and learned invaluable information that will make me a better teacher.